Automatic pick and pick motion in weaving looms



Feb. 16, 1954 R. FOISY ET AL AUTOMATIC PICK AND P ICK MOTION IN WEAVING LOOMS s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1952 Inventors RICHARD FOISY J. ARTH UR VEZINA Feb. 16, 1954 R. FOISY ET AL AUTOMATIC PICK AND PICK MOTION IN WEAVING LOOMS s Sheets-Sheet? Inventors RICHARD FOISY J. ARTHUR VEZINA Filed Jan. 21, 1.952

Feb. 16, 1954 v FOISY ETAL 2,669,260

AUTOMATIC PICK AND PICK MOTION IN WEAVI NG LOOMS Filed Jan. 21, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 C6 \/-Z5 k- ,6 0 by, %M A 4 ,5 22 tzi -:5 Z rg I 5 1 (L a 9 T 2 I lnvenkors f "3 RICHARD FOISY 5 J. ARTHUR VEZINA 67 7 77 3 G Attorneys Patented Feb. 16, 1954 AUTOMATIC Hartman ProKMo'r-Ioiv 1N WEAVING LOOMS Richard Fois'y "and Joseph Arthur Vezina, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignfirs or on'e thii'd to Lucien Forestier, Basking Ridge, N. J.

Application January 21, 1952, Serial No. 267,334

9 claims. (oi. 139*232) The present invention relatesto weaving" looms and, more particularly, means for the automatic operation '01 an ordinary loom for producing so called pick-and-pick fabrics.

Fabrics of all types and textures are being produced to-day 'on a variety of speciallooirns specifically constructed for a definite purpose and, in certain cases, for weaving one type of fabric only.

This is specially so when fabrics are v'voven with difierently coloured threads such as, for instance, the production of a fabric having alternately coloured threads in immediately succeeding picks. Such a fabric is called in the trade piclc-and-pick.

A pick-'and-pick fabric has always been much moree'xpensive than ordinary kinds because it had to be produced by hand, or by means of very special power looms specially designed tor the purpose and, hence, expensive and limited to the weaving of one kind of cloth only. Linn ited production is possible 'on 'a conventional power loom but automatic operation is precluded by the mechanical limitations of such a loom, part of the operation having to be efiedtuated manually. I

Obviously, a pick-and-pick fabric embodying, for instance, alternate black and white weft threads is easily, if labouriously, produced on a hand loom. Evidently, the change from one shuttle containing white thread, "to the other shuttle with black thread, can be performed by hand without dificulty.

When such a fabric is attempted on a 'conventional power loom, it is immediately discovered that the'bobbin change-over mechanism is not adequate for ejecting an empty bobbin, and replacing same with a new'on'e, in the short time a shuttle remains in a shuttle'box "cell, Consequently, the only known way-of weaving pick-and-pick cloth on an ordinary power loom is to allow said loom to'stop automatically, aiter the bobbin ieeler has found anempt'y bobbin, replace manually the said empty bobbin and, thereafter, restarting the 100m. 7

Obviously, this interrupted'manner o'f 'we'av ing cloth is not conducive 'toeconoihica'l'operation and, as a result, pickand-pick fabrics'are generally more expensivethanbthersof comparable weight and quality, for the reasons given above.

The present invention has been'conceive'd to avoid the drawbacks enumerated by providing an "attachment for rendering conventional'pbwei loom capable of weaving economically pick=and- 'pick fabrics. Briefly stated, this attachment is the side of the loom where bobbin change over is efiec'tuated. Thus, the upper cell of the shuttle will come in position for change-over mu'ch ahead of the time it would normally come if actuated by the lay, in the usual fashion. I

Therefore, a full bobbin from the magazine will be ready to push out the spent one immediately the empty shuttle appears in'the upper cell.

Furthermore, the attachment according to the invention can be installed 'on any modern power loom in less than two hours, said loom to be convertible again to weave other types of fabric in a matter of minutesonly.

Thus, the main'object of the invention may be stated to reside in the provision of improved means of the character described for efficiently converting a conventionalpower loom to the fully automatic weaving of pick-and-pick fabrics.

Another important object of the invention the provision of an attachment for the conver-v sicn of a power loom, as stated above, which attachment canbe installed in a relatively short time and removed as easily, at will.

A further object contemplatesa weaving loom attachment which is equally adaptable to existing', or new, looms and which does not limit such an equipped loom to the production of pick-andpick fabrics only. I I

Still another objectof the invention concerns a mechanical pick-andepick attachment for weaving looms which is relatively inexpensive,

at least "as rugged as the rest of the loom'structure and s e 'designedas to operate without trouble for long periods of time;

Yet a further object envisages an inexpensive attachment iorpower looms with a view 'to p'r'o-' du'cing atlo'wc'ost apick -and-pick fabric. a

ptherjobj'ec'ts and advantages of. the invention will become apparent, or-be pointed out'further, during the description to follow.

In 'th'e accompanying I drawings;

Figure l is a fractional perspective view of the shuttlebox'm'e'chanism at the magazineside of :the l'o'oin, 1 associated with the auxiliary lifting device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the shuttle bo'xrneehanism on-themagazineside of the loo'm, showing the boxesi'n raised positionduring hertrial "operati' n oi the loom, the auxiliary lifting device being imperative;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section similar t6 3 7 that of Figure 2 showing the shuttle boxes in lower position during a forward stroke of the lay and just before actuation by the auxiliary lifting device;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the shuttle box mechanism shown in position for a bobbin change over;

Figures 5 to 12 indicate the sequence of the shuttle and box motion used in the loom when doing pick-and-pick weaving;

Figures 13 and 14 are graphic representations of the movements of the same pair of shuttle boxes during a forward stroke and a backward stroke of the lay respectively.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the lay indicated at l comprises the laysword 2 mounted on a rocker shaft 3, the laywood 4 and the handrail 5; the laywood 4 provides the shuttle race 6.

An apron I is secured to th laysword 2, and supports a vertically movable box structure B comprising an upper cell 8, a lower cell 9 and an intermediate exit ramp 13 for the empty bobbins.

The box structure 15 is supported on the upper end of a lifter rod ll slidable at its lower end within the bracket I2 secured to the frame of the loom. A collar I3 is slidably mounted on the lifter rod II and is urged upwardly in abutting position against the nuts l4 engaging said red I l, by means of a coil spring l5 abutting at its lower end a flange or shoulder 16 of said rod I I. The collar I3 is provided with a side extension ll to which is secured an arm I8 pivotally attached to a link 59, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to an actuating lever 20 which is driven by a suitable known cam mechanism (not shown) to impart to the shuttle box structure B a normal up and down movement in relation to the shuttle race 6 whereby the upper and lower cells 8 and 9 are alternatively brought into active position for the picking motions of the shuttles within said cells.

A shiftable box structure C is provided on the left hand side of the loom at the end of the lay l opposite to box structure B. Box structures B and C are similar except that the latter does not have an exit ramp such as ramp It.

In order that the loom may effect pick and pick work the shuttle box structures at each end of the lay I are actuated by their lifter rod 1 l in such a manner as to follow the sequence of movements shown in Figures 5 to 12. In these figures it will be seen that the shuttle 2i and the shuttle 22 will enter successively the upper cell 3 and the lower cell 3 of box structure B and the upper cell 23 and lower cell 24 of the structure C.

More particularly, the shuttle 2i enters successively the top cell 8 as shown in Figure 5, the lower cell 24 (Figure 7), the lower cell 3 (Figure 9) and the top cell 23 (Figure 11) and then repeats this sequence. Shuttle 22 will effect the same sequence of motions at an interval of five picks.

A conventional weft detector mechanism (not shown) is disposed on the left hand side of the loom to cooperate with the upper cell 23 of the box structure C in order to determine the state of weft exhaustion in the bobbin carried by the shuttle 2| or 22, each time said shuttles enter said cell 23. The magazine shown at M in Figures 2 to 4 is disposed over the box structure B on the right hand side of the loom and the top cell 8 of said box structure B will register with said magazine M when the lay l is in forward limit position and when the box structure B is in raised position as shown in Figures 2 or 4.

During normal operation of the loom that is when the box structures B and C are operated by their respective lever 20 and lifter rod II, the box structure B passes from its lower position, as shown in Figure 5, to its upper position, shown in Figure 6, during part of the forward stroke of the lay l and part of the successive backward stroke of said lay whereby the box structure B describes an arcuate path in space as shown by the full curved line 25 and curved line 25', shown in Figures 13 and 14.

When the weft detector has indicated a state of weft exhaustion in for instance, the shuttle 2| in the upper cell 23 of the box structure C, it will be understood that th bobbin within said shuttle 21 cannot be changed after the latter has entered the top cell 8 of the shuttle box structure B, because said box structure cannot complete its upward movement before the lay has reached its forward limit position: the box structure B has only reached the point indicated at 26 in Figures 13 or 14 when the lay reaches its forward limit position. Consequently, in order to effect the bobbin changeover in the exhausted shuttles 2| and 22, while using the conventional magazine M. situated at the forward limit position of the lay I, it will be necessary to accelerat the lifting movement of the shuttle box structure B so that the latter may reach its upper position at a point 2'! before the lay I has actually reached its forward limit position. This is accomplished by the auxiliary lifting device according to the invention which will presently be described.

Referring to Figure 1, it is seen that a guide plate 29 is secured to the apron I and is provided with apertured ears 30 at the top and bottom thereof for slidably receiving a pair of guide rods 3| contacting at their upper end the bottom of the box structure B. Said guide rods 3| are rigidly secured together by means of a yoke member 32 and are provided with collars 33 which may be adiustably secured thereto.

Each collar 33 is provided with a thrust wheel 34 engageable by a cam 35 keyed to each end of a common shaft 31 journalled on bearings 38 depending from the guide plate 29. A coil spring 39 secured to a cam 35 at on end and to a bearing 33 at the other end urges said cams to take their downward limit position.

An arm 40 has at its lower end a shaft 4| journalled in a bracket 42 itself rigidly fastened to the frame of the loom. Said arm 40 is provided at its upper end with a roller 43 engageable with the lower cam surface 28 of one of the cams 35.

A roller cam 44, keyed to a shaft 45 journalled in the bracket 42, engages the curved surface 46 of the arm 40. The rotation of the roller cam 44 is limited by the stop 41 depending from the arm 40 at the lower end of the curved rolling surface 46.

A clevis 48 is secured to the other end of the shaft 45 and is linked to a second clevis 43 by means of a curved link 50.

The second clevis 49 is keyed to a stud shaft 5i pivotally mounted on a frame part 52 of the loom. A third clevis 53 is also keyed to the said shaft 5| and a transfer latch 54 is pivotally connected to the free end of said third clevis. The length of said transfer, latch 54 is preferably made adjustable, its inner end threadably engaging the pivoted head 55. The transfer latch 54 is held in position in alignment with 2. prong 56 seates-goo surest-.0 the iayswora 2, or in inoperative position out of alignment with said prong by means of a transfer rod 51 bent at its lower end to form a removable hook 58 and pivotally connected at its upper end to a small arm 59 keyed to the preventer shaft 60. 1

I Said preventer shaft 60 is rotated by the weft detector upon indication of weft exhaustion. A crank GI is keyed thereto and is linked to the latch holder 62 by a linking rod 36. The latch holder 62 holds the transfer latch 63 in or out of alignment with the prong 64 projecting from the forward side of the box structure B.

It iS understood that when the prevehter shaft 80 is actuated in a clockwise rotation by means of the weft detector, the transfer latch 53 is brought in the operative position shown in Figure 3-, in alignment with the prong M to be actuated thereby upon a forward movement of the lay I. Movement of the transfer latch trips, in a known manner, the bobbin transferring mechanism (not shown) through the links 65. Clockwise rotation of the preventer shaft 69 will also cause a lifting movement of the latch through the transfer rod 51 whereby the prong 55 on the laysword 2 will engage said transfer latch 5t upon a forward stroke of the lay i. This movement will cause the roller came to rotate in such a direction as to engage the rolling surface 46 of the arm 40 which will pivot backwards and move the cams 35 upwardly which will, in turn, act on the wheels 34 to cause upward movement cf the guide rods 3| and consequently of the box structure B. This lifting movement is independ ent of the up and down motion imparted by the lever 20 and the lifter rod II, the latter being slidable within collar I3.

When a change of bobbin is not indicated, the preventer shaft 60 will remain in inoperative position whereby the transfer latches st and E555 will be maintained in a position out of alignment with their respective prongs 56 and 64. In that case the box structure B goes through its regular sequence of up and down movements, being actuated by the lifter rod II and associated mechanism.

The point of contact between the transfer latch 54 and the prong 56 on the laysword 2 is shown at point 66 in Figure 13. From point 66, the box structure B will be raised by the auxiliary lifting device in a very fast manner along heavy line 67 up to the point 21 just in time for the prong 64 on said box structure to engage the transfer latch 63 in order to trip the bobbin transfer mechanism; therefore, the bobbin change over is effected during a forward stroke of the lay I and while the box structure B travels from point 2i to point 68 along heavy line 69.

Referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that the box structure B is locked in upper position by the roller cam 44, the arm 40, the cam 35 and the thrust wheel 34, which elements act as a toggle mechanism to positively resist any downward thrust exerted on the shuttle box structure B during the bobbin changeover.

The lower rolling surface 28 of the cam 35 engageable by the roller 43 of the arm 40, has a curve such that, during the initial portion of the backward stroke of the lay I, the cam 35, moving over the roller 43, will be maintained in up position, and consequently the box structure B will travel from point 68 along heavy line I0 of Figure 14 until the lifter rod I I and its associated mechanism takes over at the point II.

Similarly the rolling surface 46 of the arm 41! engaged by the roller cam 44 will have a as to cause said arm 40 to remain in locking pention for a substantial angle of rotation of the roller cam 44 as shown in Figure 4.

By comparing Figures 5 to 12 with Figures 13 and 14 it will be seen that the normal operation of the right hand side box structure B is as follows:

From the lower position as shown in Figure 5 to the upper position shown in Figure 6, said box structure travels along a path indicated in Figures 13 and 14, by point I2, dotted line I3, curved line 25, 25', straight dotted line M and final point 15, at which latter point the box strum ture B travels exactly along the same path but in reverse direction. To pass from the upper po'sition shown in Figure 8 to the upper position shown in Figure '9, the shuttle box structure 33 travels forwardly along the straight line M, 16, $9 from point I5 to 'point 68 and backwardly from point 68 to point I5. Similarly, when the shuttle box structure B passes from the lower position shown in Figure 12 to the lower position shown in Figure 5, it will travel forwardly along the lower straight line I3, I? from the point 12 to the lower point I8, and backwardly from point '58 to point 72.

It will be understood that the sequence of shuttle movements is unvariable and it is known which shuttle will be in transferring position at any predetermined transferring beat, and this fact is used to afford a colour control for the magazine M. Of course, when the magazine is of the type in which the bobbins are disposed in two rows, a proper selective device of conventional design will be provided to feed a bobbin 19 of proper colour to the shuttle 2! or 22 when the latter are successively in transfer position. The spent bobbin 8b is ejected through exit ramp II} as shown in Figure 4.

While a preferred embodiment according to the invention has been illustrated and described it is understood that various modifications may be re= sorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom, a lay movable b'aok'wardly and forwardly therein and having a plurality of boxes to accommodate a plurality of shuttles, means to shift said boxes with respect to the lay from a lower position to an upper position during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke and part of a consecutive backward stroke, auxiliary means to shift said boxes with respect to the lay from the same lower to the same upper position during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke only and before completion of said forward stroke, and means to effect a change of filling in one of the shuttles in one of said boxes operable after completion of said last mentioned shifting movement of said boxes and while said lay is in its forward limit position.

2. In a loom as claimed in claim 1, said auxiliary means comprising a toggle mechanism to block the boxes in upper position during the change of filling in one of the shuttles.

3. In a loom as claimed in claim 1, said auxiliary means including guiding rods engageable with the bottom of said boxes, thrust elements on said rods, cam elements engageable with said thrust elements to raise said rods, an arm pivotable to engage one of said cam elements and means displaceable by said lay upon a forward stroke thereof to pivot said arm and cause lifting of said boxes.

4. In a loom as claimed in claim 3 wherein said guide rods, thrust members and cam elements are movably mounted on a support removably secured to said lay, and said arm and last mentioned means are mounted on the frame of said loom.

5. In a bobbin changing loom, a lay movable backwardly and forwardly, two pairs of shifting shuttle boxes, one pair at each end of the lay, means to shift said pairs of shuttle boxes with respect to the lay from a lower position to an upper position during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke and part of a consecutive backward stroke, a magazine of reserve bobbins fixedly mounted on the loom and adapted to register with the top shuttle box of a pair of shuttle boxes at one end of the lay, when said top shuttle box is in upper position and when the lay is in its forward limit position, auxiliary means, operable when the bobbin of either one of said shuttles is detected empty, to shift said last named pair of shuttle boxes with respect to the lay from their lower to their upper position during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke only and before completion of said forward stroke, and means to effect bobbin change over in the shuttle containing the bobbin detected empty, While said shuttle is in the top box of said last named pair of shuttle boxes, operable after completion of said last named shifting movement and While said lay is in its forward limit position.

6. In a loom, a lay movable backwardly and forwardly, first and second pairs of shuttle boxes mounted at the ends of said lay for up and down movement from a lower position to an upper position with respect to the lay in which the bottom box and top box of each pair are active respective- 1y, two shuttles, means to shift said two pairs of boxes with respect to the lay from said lower to said upper position in such a way as to run said shuttles pick and pick, said shifting movement of said boxes being accomplished during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke i and part of a consecutive backward stroke of the lay, a magazine holding a reserve supply of bobbins fixedly mounted on the loom for registering with the top box of the second pair of shuttle boxes when the lay is in its forward limit position, auxiliary means to shift said second pair of boxes with respect to the lay from their lower to their upper position during the time said lay moves through part of a forward stroke only and before completion of said forward stroke, means to effect a change of filling in one of the shuttles while in the top box of said second pair of shuttle boxes, operable after the completion of said last mentioned shifting movement of said second pair of boxes and while said lay is in its forward limit position, and means to cause operation of said auxiliary shifting means operable when the bobbin of one of said shuttles is detected empty while said shuttle is in the top box of said first pair of shuttle boxes.

7. In a loom, as claimed in claim 6, an apron secured to one end of the lay and on which said second pair of shuttle boxes is shiftably mounted, said auxiliary shifting means comprising guide rods slidably mounted on said apron and having their upper end abutting said shuttle boxes, thrust wheels secured to said guide rods,

" cams rotatively mounted on said apron and having a cam face cooperating with said thrust wheels, an arm pivotally mounted on said loom and having its free end engageable with another cam face of one camwand means to displace said arm from an inoperative position wherein said cam will not be actuated by said arm when said lay accomplishes a forward stroke, to an operative position wherein said arm will engage said cam before said lay has reached its forward limit position to thereby rotate said cam and elevate said shuttle boxes to their upper position before said lay has reached its forward limit position.

8. In a loom as claimed in claim '7, wherein said last mentioned means comprise a prong on said lay, a transfer latch mounted on said loom adapted to take an active position in register with said prong and an inactive position out of register with said prong, and a roller cam adapted to move said arm from said inoperative to said operative position, said roller cam being mechanically connected to said latch to be actuated thereby when said latch is engaged by said prong while in active position.

9. In a loom as claimed in claim 8, further ineluding means to move said latch from its inactive position to said active position when a shuttie is detected empty.

RICHARD FOISY. J. ARTHUR V'EZINA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,065,776 Wakefield Dec. 29, 1936 2,360,529 Turner Oct. 17, 1944 2,609,844. Turner Sept. 9 1952 2,609,845 Turner Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,583 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1930 489,252 Great Britain July 22, 1938 

